In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.
Hydraulic and diesel fuel systems machinery such as those in mining and other industrial applications, operate at very high pressures, often 207 bar (3000 psi) and above. Loose connections or defective or failures in hoses can cause a fine, high velocity stream of fluid to be ejected which can be hazardous to a human that comes into contact with the stream. Testing has shown that even in systems pressurised to as little as 7 bar (100 psi), this fluid stream can penetrate human skin.
An injury sustained in a high pressure injection incident is, in many cases significantly worse than it will first appear since hydraulic or diesel fuel inside the body can cause tissue damage. Such since injuries is relatively rare, medical practitioners or hospital services may not be alert to the severity of an injury of this type.
An accidental fluid injection beneath the skin may initially only produce a slight stinging sensation. The danger is that a victim will tend to ignore this, thinking that it will get better with time. This is not often the case and the fluid can cause serious tissue damage. Fluid injected directly into a blood vessel can spread rapidly through a victim's circulatory system leaving the human body with little ability to purge these types of fluid.
A fluid injection injury can become very serious or even fatal if not dealt with promptly and properly. Typically the only treatment available is to surgically remove the fluid within a few hours of injection. The longer the delay in getting professional medical aid, the further the tissue damage can spread. If left untreated, the injury could result in disfigurement, amputation of the affected part or death of the victim.
Accidental fluid injections can be difficult to confirm. In many cases the victim may be covered by fluid externally, resulting in uncertainty on whether any fluid has penetrated the victim's skin. As discussed above any delay in treating a victim can cause severe harm and, as such, it would be advantageous if confirmation of fluid injection can be confirmed.